Sweet William Farms
July 8 2020 Wednesday
139 March Rd, Ottawa, ON
417 West -Exit at Eagleson between Corkstown Rd and Herzberg Rd.
Its 6am, I am sweaty, so I need to get to shower and water my plants.
There has been no rain, and we have no irrigation. Hand watering it is.
On regular season, we usually take 2 weeks off after Canaday Day, one week to celebrate Canada Day, then the 2nd week is Angelinas Birthday. This year, we combine Kyle and Angelina's birthday.
It is drought and heatwave. I hear news of Creek drying in Kanata area and our well seems to stop at random. I'd say it is not random, the water table is just low, our generator stops. Another thing is generator is over heating as well.
Its been challenging, the place looks good. We have lots of going, we have community farmers going on the their plots, we have pollinator garden, good bank garden is thriving with the help of volunteers and started international garden/filipino garden.
As this heat increases, we find ourselves weary and cannot continue on longer most days.
Kyle has been bothered by stinging nettle - I am not sure if it is, but rash marks all over his legs tells me so. Farm life has its challenge and I can see that it is pushing the envelop on us.
Kyle has added a temporary shed in front of the barn, so that we can shelter our plants
We are currently exploring on possibilities of a section for intensive cropping. This will alleviate our need to more land to till.
I can say all in all, it is a very satisfying journey of learning and working with the land.
It seems to me that 20 years abandonment shows - the land can barely support basic plant growing. everything is stunted and it needs boost of fertilizer input. I am not in a rush - nature takes time to recover, and so as our soil. The clay in the test garden cracks - without organic matter or simply mulch on top, there is nothing to hold moisture. We do not clear cut anything except paths, we do not take more than we can use. Weeds - they have a function, they retain moisture in order to keep our water table replenish.
The roadways is full of salt - and washed to the farm each years. 20 years of that and our land topography is sloping - this land needs more care than I anticipate.
She is beautiful yet wounded by years of abandonment - chemicals poured on her and garbage. She needed us, and I hope we can stay to care. There are signs of life in some section which are raise, but anywhere that there is run-off, the land is totally a barren wasteland.
We have lots of compost and we continously mulch - this is how to build her up. Again, give us time mighty Gods, she is worth repairing.
This fall can be an opportunity to prepare for next season and we hope that her balance will slowly return.
We have children's composting station going, we need it, we need it badly and we need to do more.
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